Steering column shield

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for preventing the unauthorized use of a vehicle. The apparatus includes main column unit half shells and column base unit half shells having interlocking joint structure for fixing the main column unit and base column unit to a steering column unit. Locking means is provided to lock the main column unit to the steering column once they are affixed thereto.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to devices for preventing the unauthorized use ofa vehicle, and more particularly to a shield for protecting the steeringcolumn of a vehicle from breakage by an unauthorized user.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

In recent years automotive manufacturers have adopted many designtechniques for reducing the weight and thereby increasing the fueleconomy of vehicles. The basic trend of these improvements has been tosubstitute plastic parts for parts that were previously made of metal.In many areas of the vehicle, these substitutions and redesigns haveeffectively met the goal of reducing the weight of the vehicle with notradeoffs in terms of vehicle performance.

One area, however, where the trend to lightweight plastic parts has hadan unexpected detrimental effect has been in the steering column portionof the vehicle. In modern vehicles, an ignition lock and steering wheellock are incorporated into the steering column by means of a complicatedmechanism. The outer cover of the steering column encloses thismechanism and prevents unauthorized users from manipulating themechanism to unlock and start the vehicle. In recent years, the steeringcolumn outer cover, which previously was made of metal, has beenmanufactured from a plastic material having a very thin wall thickness.It is now commonly known among car thieves and the like that certainmodels of vehicles having the thin walled plastic steering column coverscan be stolen by merely chipping a hole into the steering column coverat a patricular area, with a screwdriver or hammer, and manipulating thelocking mechanism through the hole to start and unlock the car.

The ease by which these cars may be stolen has resulted in an epidemicof stolen cars, inasmuch as no special tools or sophistication arerequired to very quickly defeat the locking mechanisms of the vehicles.

Thus, a need presently exists for a steering column shield that may beretrofitted to cars having the lightweight steering column covers. Theshield should be user-installable without the need for special tools,yet be impossible to defeat once installed without special tools orsophistication. While such a shield would not prevent all thefts ofcars, it would defeat the theft of a car using simple tools such as ascrewdriver. The shield should also be unobtrusive and aestheticallyintegratable into the interior of the vehicle in order to encourage useracceptability.

Several steering column anti-theft devices are known in the art. U.S.Pat. No. 4,167,222 to El Bindari discloses a passive anti-theft devicethat includes a band that wraps around the steering column and acylindrical portion to protect the ignition key cylinder housing. U.S.Pat. No. 4,123,924 to Dworkis discloses a cover for an ignition switchlock. U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,562 to Freeman discloses a hinged protectivejacket for a steering column to be locked to the steering column bymeans of a padlock. U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,102 to Kalina discloses atamper-proof lock housing for enclosing the ignition lock of anautomobile. U.S. Pat. No. 4,494,391 to Solow discloses a chain operatedsecurity cover for an ignition lock. U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,140 to Solowalso discloses a chain operated ignition lock cover. Finally, U.S. Pat.No. 4,104,895 to Tankel discloses a protective cover for the ignitionlock of a vehicle having a pivotally attached shackle.

None of the prior art devices has solved the problem of providing fullprotection for modern steering column covers in an aestheticallypleasing, economical to manufacture and easy to install manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a permanently installed steeling columnshield which guards the ignition and steering wheel lock componentslocated within the steering column from unauthorized access andmanipulation. The invention includes a main column unit having two halfshells with openings for access to the ignition and control levers ofthe steering column. The half shells include specially adaptedinterlocking joint structure on the edge of the shells for fixing theshells to the steering column with a continuous seam on top and bottom.Non-removable headless drive screws extend through aligned holes in thehalf shells to lock the shells together after assembly. A similar basecolumn unit may also be used to protect the lower portion of thesteering column.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the invention and its advantages willbe apparent from the Detailed Description taken in conjunction with theDrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a steering column to which a shield ofthe present invention is fixed;

FIG. 2 is an overhead view of the steering column and shield of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the steering column shield ofthe present invention; and,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4--4 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring initially to FIG. 1, steering column shield 10 is fixed abouta steering column of a vehicle including steering wheel 12 andinstrument panel 14. Ignition lock 16 extends through an opening insteering column shield 10, as do control levers 18 and 20. Steeringcolumn shield 10 includes main column unit 22 and base column unit 24.Base column unit 24 includes a frustro-conical portion 26 which joins alarger diameter portion 28 and a smaller diameter portion 30. Smalldiameter portion 30 extends below instrument panel 14 and terminates ata position not shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 2, steering column 50 extends from column baseunit 24 and is connected to the vehicle in conventional fashion. Controllever 18 typically operates the turn signals of the vehicle, and controllever 20 typically operates the tilt mechanism for the steering wheelassembly. Main column unit includes lever pocket 52 wherein opening 54is provided for control lever 20 and another opening (not shown) isprovided for control lever 18. Opening 56 is provided for ignition lock16. When steering column shield 10 is fixed to steering column 50, seam58 of main column unit 22 and seam 60 of base column unit 24 arevisible, but the manner in which the main column unit and column baseunit are fixed to the steering column is not readily apparent.

Referring now to FIG. 3, main column unit 22 is comprised of first maincolumn unit half shell 70 and second main column unit half shell 72.First main column unit half shell 70 has inner and outersemi-cylindrical surfaces 74 and 76, respectively, extendingsubstantially along the length thereof. Cylindrical walls 78 defineopening 56 for the ignition lock. Second main column unit half shell 72includes partial semi-cylindrical inner and outer surfaces 80 and 82,respectively, and lever pocket 52 extends from outer surface 82. Wallsdisposed in lever pocket 52 define opening 54 adapted for a tilt controllever and opening 84 adapted for a turn signal control lever.

In similar fashion, the column base unit includes first column base unithalf shell 86 and second column base unit half shell 88. First columnbase unit half shell 86 includes inner and outer semi-cylindricalsurfaces 90 and 92, respectively, extending substantially along thelength thereof. Second column base unit half shell 88 includes inner andouter semi-cylindrical surfaces 94 and 96, respectively, extendingsubstantially along the length thereof. Inner surface 90 includes largerdiameter portion 98 and smaller diameter portion 100 joined byfrustro-conical portion 102. Similarly, inner surface 94 includes alarger diameter portion and smaller diameter portion joined by afrustro-conical portion.

Referring now to FIG. 4 in addition to FIG. 3, the joint structure forthe larger diameter portion of column base unit 24 will be described,which is typical of the joint structure of the other portions of columnbase unit 24 as well as main column unit 22. The joint structureincludes underlying portions 120 on second base column unit half shell88. Underlying portions 120 have grooves 122 extending substantiallyalong the entire length thereof. First column base unit half shell 86includes overlying portions 124 having ridges 126 extendingsubstantially along the length thereof. In the preferred embodiment, thecolumn base unit half shells and main column unit half shells areconstructed of a flexible material, such that the column base unit andmain column unit may be fixed to the steering column by pushing the halfshells together around the steering column and flexing the overlyingportions 124 over the underlying portions 122 until ridges 126 snap intoengagement with grooves 122. In the preferred embodiment, no tools arenecessary for affixing the column base unit and main column unit to thesteering column.

The main column unit and column base unit must be locked in place toprevent unauthorized removal and access to the vulnerable portions ofthe steering column. Still referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, each underlyingportion 120 includes a notch 140 in the medial portion thereof andcylindrical walls 142 and 144 defining aligned and opposing elongatedholes in underlying portions 120. Similarly, overlying portions 124include members 146 sized for engagement with notches 140 and havingcylindrical walls 148 defining elongated holes aligned with the holesdefined by cylindrical walls 142 and 144 when the main column unit halfshells and column base unit half shells are engaged about the steeringcolumn. Pins 150 engage the elongated holes in the underlying portions120 and overlying portions 124 when the main column unit half shells andcolumn base unit half shells are fixed to the steering column. In thepreferred embodiment, pins 150 are counter-sunk, non-removable headlessdrive screws that cannot be removed from the elongated holes once theyare installed.

In operation, the steering column shield of the present inventionprovides a theft-deterrent system by covering the vulnerable portions ofvehicle steering columns with a tough and impact resistant surface. Toinstall the steering column shield of the present invention, the columnbase unit must be installed first, because access to the elongated holesin the column base unit half shells is available only before the maincolumn unit is installed. Once the column base unit is installed andlocked in position, the main column unit half shells are installed andthe pins are driven into the elongated holes thereof.

Whereas the present invention has been described with respect to aspecific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various changesand modifications will be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it isintended to encompass such changes and modifications as fall within thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. Apparatus for preventing the unauthorized use of a vehiclehaving an ignition lock and at least one control lever mounted in asteering column, comprising:a main column unit including first andsecond main column unit half shells; the first main column unit halfshell having semi-cylindrical inner and outer surfaces extendingsubstantially along the length thereof and walls defining an opening forthe ignition lock of the vehicle; the second main column unit half shellhaving partial semi-cylindrical inner and outer surfaces and a leverpocket extending from the outer surface thereof, the lever pocketincluding walls defining at least one opening for the control lever ofthe vehicle; main column unit interlocking joint means disposed on sideedges of the first and second main column unit half shells for fixingthe main column unit about the steering column in the vicinity of theignition lock and control lever; main column unit locking means actingin cooperation with the main column unit interlocking joint means forpreventing the removal of the main column unit once it is fixed aboutthe steering column; a column base unit including first and secondcolumn base unit half shells; the first and second column base unit halfshells each having inner and outer semi-cylindrical surfaces extendingsubstantially along the length thereof; base column unit interlockingjoint means disposed on side edges of the first and second base columnunit half shells for fixing the base column unit about the steeringcolumn in an abutting relationship to the main column unit; and basecolumn unit locking means acting in cooperation with the base columnunit interlocking joint means to prevent the removal of the base columnunit once it is fixed about the steering column.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the inner semi-cylindrical surfaces of the first andsecond column base unit half shells comprise larger diameter portionsjoined by frustro-conical portions to smaller diameter portions, suchthat the base column unit engages a shoulder defined on the steeringcolumn.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base column unitinterlocking joint means comprises an underlying portion on a secondbase column unit half shell edge having a groove therein and anoverlying portion on a first base column unit half shell edge having aridge extending therefrom and adapted for engagement with the groove. 4.The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the groove in the underlying portionextends substantially along the length of the first base column unithalf shell edge and the ridge in the overlying portion extendssubstantially along the length of the second base column unit half shelledge.
 5. Apparatus for preventing the unauthorized use of a vehiclehaving an ignition lock and at least one control lever mounted in asteering column, comprising:a main column unit including first andsecond main column unit half shells; the first main column unit halfshell having semi-cylindrical inner and outer surfaces extendingsubstantially along the length thereof and walls defining an opening forthe ignition lock of the vehicle; the second main column unit half shellhaving partial semi-cylindrical inner and outer surfaces and a leverpocket extending from the outer surface thereof, the lever pocketincluding walls defining at least one opening for the control lever ofthe vehicle; main column unit interlocking joint means disposed on sideedges of the first and second main column unit half shells for fixingthe main column unit about the steering column in the vicinity of theignition lock and control lever; main column unit locking means actingin cooperation with the main column unit interlocking joint means forpreventing the removal of the main column unit once it is fixed aboutthe steering column; and the main column unit interlocking joint meanscomprising an underlying portion on a second main column unit half shelledge having a groove therein and an overlaying portion on a first maincolumn unit half shell edge having a ridge extending therefrom andadapted for engagement with the groove.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5wherein the groove in the underlying portion extends substantially alongthe length of the first main column unit half shell edge and the ridgein the overlying portion extends substantially along the length of thesecond main column unit half shell edge.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5wherein the underlying portion includes walls defining a notch in theunderlying portion and first and third cylindrical walls defining firstand third aligned and opposing elongated holes in the underlyingportion, and the overlying portion includes a member disposed forengagement with the notch and second cylindrical walls defining a secondelongated hole in the overlying portion, the second elongated hole beingaligned with the first and third elongated holes when the main columnunit is fixed to the steering column.